Parliamentary Question: Prison Staff

13th May 2003

194. Mr. Howlin asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform his proposals for the ending of overtime by prison officers; if he intends to enter into negotiations with the Irish Prison Officers Association regarding his proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12770/03]

Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. McDowell): The level of overtime worked in the Prison Service has long been the subject of discussion in this House. Within the past week I have arranged for a framework proposal to issue to staff representatives with a view to early negotiations on a new way forward. I expect the negotiations to deliver an agreement which will eliminate the unsustainable burden of chronic overtime and which will deliver a more efficient and cost effective Prison Service.

The Irish Prison Service has invited the IPOA to discussions. These will take place within days once the association has had an opportunity to give the proposal preliminary consideration.
The proposal involves the implementation of a programme of detailed staffing and work practice efficiencies together with the elimination of overtime working and the introduction of an annual hours system of attendance. This system envisages staff undertaking to work certain levels of additional hours which would be remunerated whether all the additional hours were required to be worked or not. This approach is designed to reinforce the attractiveness of more efficient working practices. The proposal also involves the payment of lump sums to staff over a three year period subject to the delivery of specific savings targets. In addition, the proposal outlines scope for organisational restructuring covering rationalisation of certain functions and greater focus on core and developmental roles of various grades.

The proposal is in the form of a negotiation document and it would not be helpful to go into detail now.

In my speech at the recent annual conference of the IPOA I explained that this proposal must be considered and agreed within the next three months. This problem must be agreed by the end of July if the Prison Service is to keep within its allocated budget. If progress cannot be achieved I will have no choice but to address, what will by then represent, a critical situation.
Much work has been done on which early progress can be built. Real advances can be made in forthcoming discussions with the IPOA and I look forward to a mutually satisfactory outcome to this process.